I'll go further than Obama on immigration - Hillary

politics

Julie Pace
– 08 May 2015 03:00 AM

US President Barack Obama has said his executive actions blocking the deportation of millions living illegally in the US go as far as the law allows. But Hillary Rodham Clinton said that if she becomes president, she would go even further.

Clinton's aggressive stance reinvigorates the debate over the scope of presidential powers, which has become a flashpoint in Washington's politically fraught immigration fight. It also raises questions about the legality of Clinton's proposals and sets up a potential conflict between the Democratic front-runner and the Obama White House.

Mr Obama unveiled executive measures last autumn that spare up to five million people, mostly parents and the young, from deportation. The administration also set new enforcement priorities that could make it easier for many more people in the US illegally to stay.

Sweeping

Mr Obama's measures marked the most sweeping changes to the US immigration system in nearly three decades and followed a fruitless six-year bid to get Congress to act on sweeping legislation.

The status of America's fractured immigration laws has become a top issue in recent presidential campaigns, in part because of the growing power of Hispanic voters.

"We've expanded my authorities under executive action and prosecutorial discretion as far as we can legally under the existing statute, the existing law," Mr Obama said earlier this year.

Mr Obama's actions are largely on hold amid a court challenge filed by Texas and 25 other states.

Clinton, speaking to young immigrants in Nevada on this week, vowed to protect Mr Obama's actions, which could also be voided by future presidents.

In a surprise to many supporters, Clinton added that she would move unilaterally to let even more people stay in the country if Congress didn't act on broad legislation.